By Feleshia Chandler
Journalist Feleshia Chandler dispels three pervasive myths about immigration in Nova Scotia. From housing to employment, common misperceptions about immigration are spread by major Canadian political parties as well as media.
It is not uncommon to overhear a neighbour, a stranger at the grocery store, or a friend making negative comments about newcomers and the affect their presence has on the lives of long-time residents. Misinformation and fear around immigration fuels these attitudes, which are even perpetuated by major Canadian political parties.
From the job market to housing and government support, myths about immigration are not only passed around in casual conversations but are also perpetuated by political rhetoric and media narratives that sow division and distract from the critical role newcomers play in our communities and economy.
‘They’re taking our jobs’
One myth you may have heard – and one of the top misconceptions – is that immigrants are “taking our jobs.”
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has been quoted saying that he wants to “block temporary foreign workers where they are taking jobs from Canadians.” Statements like these, especially from recognized political officials, perpetuate the narrative that many Canadians are jobless because of newcomers, when that’s simply not the case.
According to the federal government, because more people are retiring and fewer children are being born, Canada relies on immigration to fill labour market gaps in industries like construction, healthcare, and retail.
Immigrants own 1 in 4 businesses in the country, which help fill those gaps by creating jobs in those areas where we experience shortages.
This especially rings true for Nova Scotia, where 3,517 immigration applications were approved in 2020 – more than expected – by focusing on essential services with labour shortages, and those already living in Canada. Many of these were skilled in services such as health care and transportation.
The office of immigration works with employers to identify where there are labour needs, then develops programs to streamline the immigration process for those specific professions. In a 2021 release, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said immigration was important to Nova Scotia’s economic recovery after the pandemic.
‘They’re taking all the housing’
Another common myth is that immigrants are taking housing from Canadians.
Canada is facing a national housing crisis for numerous reasons, yet decreasing the immigrant population is frequently being touted as the solution, such as in the Liberal government’s plan to reduce immigration.
A recent report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer claims the Liberal’s plan to reduce immigration levels will significantly drop the need for new housing by 2030, but even after the planned cuts, Canada will still need more than 650,000 new housing units to close the gap.
According to a 2021 report by the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission, Halifax in particular has been facing very low vacancy rates for quite some time, also seeing year-over-year average rental costs climbing. Homelessness is also doubling in urban areas, which suggests that people who already live here can’t afford to rent.
But long-time residents aren’t alone in this struggle. According to Statistics Canada, recent immigrants face higher poverty rates and financial struggles compared to people who are born in Canada, making them much less likely to snatch up overpriced rentals. Newcomers are also more likely to live in crowded homes that are in worse conditions as compared to Canada-born renters.
Lack of funds, credit history, English fluency, and whether their credentials from their country of origin are recognized, all increase the likelihood that newcomers are forced into poor living conditions when they arrive in Canada.
‘They get paid to live here’
While there are income assistance programs when immigrants in certain classifications arrive in Canada, they do not automatically get large amounts of money from the government.
The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) is a contribution program through which the Government of Canada provides income support and other assistance to resettled refugees to establish themselves in their new home, but at the end of the day, navigating the Canadian immigration system is extremely complicated, expensive, and emotionally taxing.
There are some financial incentives and grants for employers hiring newcomers to Canada, which often come in the form of wage subsidies or training resources, but these funding streams are limited to highly skilled trades with labour shortages, often in STEM industries such as biotech and health care.
This government funding goes directly to the employer and must be spent on recruiting and training talent. In other words, government funding does not enrich the business owner, nor the newcomer.
Immigration is not the cause of housing shortages or job scarcity, but part of the solution to building a stronger, more sustainable province. Newcomers are vital contributors to our economy, workforce, and communities. They fill critical labour shortages, face significant challenges to access housing, and are certainly not handed free money to settle here.
By confronting these misconceptions, we can foster understanding and support policies that prioritize inclusion, economic growth, and fairness for all who live in Atlantic Canada.
